Think Tea. Drink Tea.

Cups Without Covey – Tea and Organization

I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a “transformer” in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage and faith to be a transforming leader.

The quote is Stephen Covey’s. The bookmark is mine. The relationship between the two may not be obvious, so please allow me to explain.

Go ahead and please make a pot of tea, if enticed by the bookmark to do so.

Taking Notes

I confess to being an organized person. Order generates the same joy for me as opening a fresh and fragrant new tea shipment. (This is a good place to pour another cuppa.)

Over the years I’ve developed a habit of taking detailed notes. I take notes, not because my memory is dull, but because I’ve learned that my writing down specifics helps me to remember the details later.

The subject doesn’t matter: From anatomy to music to chemistry to ballet, the act of coordinating hand with head causes the information to embed itself into memory. Add some drawings and color to these writings and then these notes became works of art (or loanable items for other students).

Now imagine an early career professional being introduced to a company, FranklinCovey, dedicated to helping people organize their thoughts, their priorities, and their priorities — yes, their NOTES.

My Dear Franklin

So began our relationship. My classic size Franklin Planner and I were inseparable. It was both my constant companion and my first personal assistant. If the appointment wasn’t found in my planner, then it didn’t exist.

Like any other valued relationship, we went through various phases, namely:

Classic

Monarch

Classic (Seasons pages)

Palm Pilot m120

Classic

The Palm, complete with Franklin Planner installed software, I still own. Perhaps it is overly sentimental of me, yet like the famous song from the movie “Cooley High“: